Transmission

ORA represents ratepayers in transmission proceedings to determine if an electrical corporation satisfies the fundamental requirement for all Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) applications and that it makes a “showing that the present or future public convenience and necessity requires or will require such construction.”

In CPCN proceedings for major transmission lines, ORA traditionally focuses on issues relating to the determination of “need” for a proposed project, including cost-effectiveness, long-term planning, reliability requirements, and compliance with state policy and related CPUC directives.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)

In December 2012 PG&E filed an Application with the CPUC requesting to construct the 230 kiloVolt Embarcadero-Potrero transmission line at the cost of $171 million, consisting of a new 3.5 mile transmission line between PG&E’s Potrero switchyard and its Embarcadero Substation.

Southern California Edison (Edison)

Edison claims that the Alberhill project is needed to address future overload of the existing two 500 kV/115 kV transformers in the Valley Substation that feed the Valley South 115 kV system due to increased electoral demand on the Valley South 115 kV System.

On August 28, 2013, Edison filed an Application with the CPUC proposing to construct the Coolwater-Lugo transmission project to provide additional capacity to the Kramer Junction and Lucerne Valley areas of San Bernardino County for the purpose of alleviating a bottleneck, which would facilitate interconnection of current and future renewable generation projects, costing upwards of $1 billion.

Edison is seeking a Certification of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) from the CPUC to construct the Devers Palo Verde #2 transmission project, located in Riverside County, California - estimated to cost customers approximately $945 million.

In June 2007, Edison filed an Application with the CPUC to construct Segment 4-11 of the Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project. In November 2011, the CPUC granted Chino Hill’s motion to stay the construction of Segment 8A, which traverses that community.

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E)

SDG&E requested to combine over 70 existing use permits and easements into one master permit for project costs of more than $400 million, including distribution line facilities, access roads, and other ancillary and appurtenant facilities within Cleveland National Forest (CNF).

SDG&E requested the CPUC to allow it to enhance the South Orange County transmission and substation infrastructure, claiming that the project would increase electric network reliability and reduce the risk of a potential system-wide outage in the South Orange County area.